The molecular basis of hypopituitarism

Sally Radovick, Laurie E. Cohen, Fredric E. Wondisford

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

23 Scopus citations

Abstract

Pit-1 is a pituitary-specific transcription factor responsible for pituitary development and hormone expression in mammals. My laboratory and others have recently described several patients with combined pituitary hormone deficiency (CPHD) due to point mutations in the pit-1 gene. In addition to pit-1, other activation of the GH gene. The Prl gene is regulated synergistically by pit-1 and the estrogen receptor. Finally, the pit-1 gene itself is regulated by an nuclear factors appear to be necessary for full expression of pituitary genes. A zinc finger transcription factor, Zn-15, is responsible with pit-1 for synergistic enhancer element located > 10 kb upstream of the transcriptional start. This element contains several pit-1 DNA binding sites and retinoic acid response elements (RAREs). On one of these elements, pit-1 and RAR interact functionally to mediate a synergistic response to RA. Recent data from our laboratory suggests that RA induction of the pit-1 gene can be impaired by pit-1 gene mutations. Study of pit-1 mutations and their diverse pathophysiological mechanisms should increase our understanding of anterior pituitary gland development and gene regulation in normal and disease states.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)30-36
Number of pages7
JournalHormone Research
Volume49
Issue numberSUPPL. 1
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 1998
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Combined pituitary hormone deficiency
  • Gene expression
  • Gene mutations
  • Gene regulation
  • Hypopituitarism
  • Pituitary development
  • Retinoic acid
  • Zn-15
  • pit-1

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
  • Endocrinology

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